The Telegraph wants to tell me how much my degree is worth

[T00ts]

I hated school,apart from two most of the teachers were they in todays world would at best be barred at worst doing time.

Someone once asked me if I was bitter when I related my school experiences........why would I be they were products of their experiences and being bitter is pointless.

Apart from the two (no prizes for guessing the two taught English and history) what I know I pretty much taught myself,on to college where I spent a fair amount of time in the pub refusing to listen to unessential rubbish the essentials attendedI passed with credit.

I didn't love school particularly but saw it as a means to an end so prepared to get as much as I could out of it. I guess I had the sort of parental backup that made everything possible. Was it easy? No. Did my parents expect my best at all times? Yes. Did they pressurise me when necessary to achieve my best both at school and the dance studio? Most definitely. Did I resent it? At times. The important thing was that I realised my potential. How could I ask more?

[cromwell]

I guess I'm the odd one out but  9 'O' levels at Grammar School and a scholarship to dance college a year young so missed 'A' Levels.

I wanted to be a doctor but the opportunities offered took me away from that. My Dance training gave me Anatomy and Physiology the same as a student doctor with the same exams. So that box was ticked.  Child development, Psychology, History of Dance, Theory of teaching ending with an Honours Diploma plus just about every style of dance at both performer and teacher qualification levels.  3 years of mostly 8-10 hour days of graft.

Was it worth it? I reckon so. It gave me a career, a business for over 40 years and I never really worked a day of it because I loved it. I ended up with a large very successful dance school working 55 hour weeks covering all sorts of dance from Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Ballroom and Latin American and a lot of others. I taught kids from 3 yrs and my oldest ever was in her 70s (A retired Ballet teacher in a ballet class). Boys and men were a big feature with usually enough to make male only classes.

We were the last intake allowed to take so many exams and that wasn't without a fight with staff who thought we were crazy. Perhaps we were. I turned down more opportunities over the years simply because I wanted a family life and didn't want to leave someone else with my students. I've had a great time so for me it's been priceless.

I hated school,apart from two most of the teachers were they in todays world would at best be barred at worst doing time.

Someone once asked me if I was bitter when I related my school experiences........why would I be they were products of their experiences and being bitter is pointless.

Apart from the two (no prizes for guessing the two taught English and history) what I know I pretty much taught myself,on to college where I spent a fair amount of time in the pub refusing to listen to unessential rubbish the essentials attendedI passed with credit.

[T00ts]

I guess I'm the odd one out but  9 'O' levels at Grammar School and a scholarship to dance college a year young so missed 'A' Levels.

I wanted to be a doctor but the opportunities offered took me away from that. My Dance training gave me Anatomy and Physiology the same as a student doctor with the same exams. So that box was ticked.  Child development, Psychology, History of Dance, Theory of teaching ending with an Honours Diploma plus just about every style of dance at both performer and teacher qualification levels.  3 years of mostly 8-10 hour days of graft. 

Was it worth it? I reckon so. It gave me a career, a business for over 40 years and I never really worked a day of it because I loved it. I ended up with a large very successful dance school working 55 hour weeks covering all sorts of dance from Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Ballroom and Latin American and a lot of others. I taught kids from 3 yrs and my oldest ever was in her 70s (A retired Ballet teacher in a ballet class). Boys and men were a big feature with usually enough to make male only classes.

We were the last intake allowed to take so many exams and that wasn't without a fight with staff who thought we were crazy. Perhaps we were. I turned down more opportunities over the years simply because I wanted a family life and didn't want to leave someone else with my students. I've had a great time so for me it's been priceless.

[Borchester]

O levels
English Maths Chemistry
Physics, Biology, Engineering Drawing

Driving test, Car and many years later, big bikes.

Occupational exams. Banking law / economics. Public presentational skills.
City and Guilds Ham Radio theory
Morse code proficiency at 12 WPM

Nearly all my jobs have required on job training. I only need showing once. So the qualifications have not affected my working life too much.
The radio qualifications were fun to get and had lots of fun using them since.

This topic makes a change from run of the mill.

I took Morse and Semaphore as part of my GCE in Seamanship. Total waste of time as I am as blind as a bat and ended up in the engine room. Still, it was fun. 

[cromwell]

City and Guilds
O level English and history
1st class honours degree in being a pita and miserable sod
Too many courses and skill tests that were usually a total waste of time 
First aid which was really useful
And another degree in being able to show my usefulness outweighed my awkwardness to various executive types
And many failures to attain any marks for diplomatic skills.

[Barry]

O levels
English Maths Chemistry
Physics, Biology, Engineering Drawing

Driving test, Car and many years later, big bikes.

Occupational exams. Banking law / economics. Public presentational skills.
City and Guilds Ham Radio theory
Morse code proficiency at 12 WPM

Nearly all my jobs have required on job training. I only need showing once. So the qualifications have not affected my working life too much.
The radio qualifications were fun to get and had lots of fun using them since.

This topic makes a change from run of the mill.

[Streetwalker]

City & Guilds Brickwork which I have never had to show anyone  ,Ive winged it for everything else .

[Borchester]

Which is a bit confusing.

The idea is that I renew my subscription and they will tell me. Which seems a bit daft because I can go round to the supermarket and read the article for free. To be honest, it was always a bit of a waste. Usually I only read it for the comic strip and to see if I am in the obituary columns.

Plus, the paper seems to have some idea that it all comes down to pounds, shillings and pence, although in the case of the Daily Telegraph that might also be written as guineas, marks, groats etc.
I got a crap degree from a worse Poly, but it was a degree in maths, which made employers think that I was dead smart. Which I ain't, but they didn't know that and the result has been a lifetime of soft jobs. Money wise maybe not so much, but in terms of an easy life well, dogs bollocks baby.

So, what qualifications have you got and how have they affected your life?